Cardio before or after weights?

spartan · 30-May-05, 11:25 AM

Hi folks
I thought this would have been answered before, but can't find the topic in the archives so here goes;

Doing cardio before or after weights, does it really make that much difference to muscle building, or even fat burning?

I had always done cardio first (usually half hour), 'cos i liked my muscles being really warmed up before lifting weights.

I changed this about 3 or 4 months ago and i'm now doing weights first, then cardio. I thought this might improve both muscle building and fat burning.

What i found was I couldn't do as intense a cardio workout after the weights, but I didn't feel it made that much of a difference in the weight i was lifting.
So it seems i have just lost out on the cardio intensity.
I also prefer the feeling of the muscles being warmed with cardio before lifting.

I have seen good gains muscle wise in the past few months, but I don't think this has anything to do with doing weights first, i'm sure this has to do with my workout and eating.

Any thoughts on this?

**midgetcop** · 30-May-05, 12:08 PM

The general consensus is that cardio should be saved for after your weight session (unless you're doing a short warm-up). By burning your muscles with cardio, you're taking away stored glycogen from your muscles for your weight session, and your lifting will suffer.

If you really want to get the best of either weights or cardio, either do them on separate days or do one in the morning, and one later in the afternoon/evening (that way you can rest & re-fuel in between).

**threenorns** · 30-May-05, 12:48 PM

to "warm up" your muscles, you don't need to burn energy by doing cardio. no word of a lie, you can soak in a hot tub for 20 minutes and get the same result. 10 minutes brisk walking on a treadmill is all you need to warm up.

me, i found the same thing: if i did cardio before weights, my lifting suffered and if i did weights before cardio, i was too pooped to put any effort into it. so i stopped cardio, but one of these days, i'll get my life back under control and will be doing cardio in the early morning and weights in the afternoon.

Chain · 30-May-05, 07:44 PM

It's debatable which should come first. "Usually" if it's low-intensity cardio I think it's best to do it after lifting. I haven't noticed any detrimental effects if it's done before lifting though as long as you're working a different body part. If it's high-intensity or high impact though, you should probably do it first or at a separate time from lifting.

rbuchman · 31-May-05, 12:56 PM

Niether. Do a quick 5-10 minutes to warm up before you lift then go home and eat. If you want to do cardio on the same days as lifting do it at a differnt time of day which means taking another shower but it's much better.

This is of course assumming your intensity is high, if you are just a poser who can talk during cardio and uses wieghts suitable for 50 rep sets (but you stop at 15) then don't worry.

Speedfreak · 31-May-05, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbuchman

This is of course assumming your intensity is high, if you are just a poser who can talk during cardio.

Why would doing low intensity cardio make someone a poser? I'm not sure I've ever seen a professional bodybuilder running on a treadmill before. I do agree with you about the best splits for when to do the cardio though, I don't usually do mine anywhere near the weightlifting portion.

**threenorns** · 31-May-05, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

Why would doing low intensity cardio make someone a poser? I'm not sure I've ever seen a professional bodybuilder running on a treadmill before. I do agree with you about the best splits for when to do the cardio though, I don't usually do mine anywhere near the weightlifting portion.

no, no, i know exactly what he mean: those ppl you see on the cardio equipment "so i said to him i don't know WHAT you're talking about, i'm sure. i have no idea why he'd get that idea and anyway what business is it of his what i do on my own time [extend for next five minutes]" - not only are they not even breaking a sweat, they're not even breaking a sentence and, imo, are just wasting my time while i wait for my turn on the equipment.

rbuchman · 31-May-05, 03:09 PM

that's what I mean, if you're not breaking a sweat in 10 minutes of less go home and eat cheetos. Lower intesity cardio (running 8.5 min/mile or cycling 15mph) has value INHO.

Nothing frustrates me more than when I want to do MaxOT on the treadmill(used for paceing) and some fat women is walking at a pace half of what I walk all day or some geriatric is doing 5lbs on the row machine. Everyone has to start somewhere but without intensity you won't go anywhere.

**threenorns** · 31-May-05, 03:31 PM

well, okay, i don't mind the geriatrics doing the 5lb row because many of them are very fragile and just can't do any more. our gym serves as the local rehab centre as well, so there are a LOT of them, as well as ppl rehabbing after strokes, aneurysms, heart attack, etc.

but the ones strolling along staring at the television or reading a magazine really put a bug up my ass.